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80,000 bees infest the wall of a senior woman's house

Posted: Sep 26 2016 11:13AM PDT

Updated: Sep 26 2016 11:13AM PDT

HOUSTON, TX - Bees are our friends and vital to our ecosystem… but they make truly terrible guests. Mittie Rogers had a major infestation: the wall of her house was home to 80,000 bees. And it was only a matter of time before the hive broke through to the inside.

Her daughter contacted Fox 26 Houston and an expert from Gotcha Pest Control volunteered to remove them, which meant the outside wall and all of the honeycomb had to go. Leaving any behind is an invitation to other bees.

The bees had probably been there for years and had remained even though someone had previously tried to smoke them out. Gotcha Pest Control had arrived just in time, because the hive had almost broken through to Rogers’ bedroom.

The best way to fight a bee infestation is with prevention. Bees build their hives in sheltered areas, and can fit into a hole smaller than a dime. To keep them out, seal all potential entry points with a metal screen or caulk. Wood piles, overturned flower pots and old sheds are all attractive to bees, so keep your yard free of clutter. But if things are already out of control, absolutely leave it to the professionals.